Electric-lamp socket.



G. W. GOODRIDGE.

ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION IILED FEB.10,19 10.

Patentd June 14, 1910.

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mm Inn: on 1mm. wnum and useful Improvements in Electric-Lamp of a socketembody'ing UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIIJBEBT W. GDGDRIDGE, OF? BBIDGEROET, CONNECTICUT, ASSEGNOR. '10. THE BETYANI ELECTRIC. GUMPRNIY, 0E BR1131333303811, GONNECTIGIIT', A. CORPORATION 0E GEN NECTICUT.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

1 ELEE'JIRIG-LAIEP SOCKET.

Patented June 14, 1910:

Application med- February 10, 1910. Serial No. 543,156.

Be it known that I, GILBERT W'. Goon- -RIDGE,. a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Bridgep0rt,,in. the county of Fairfield, in the State of Connectlcut, have invented certain new Sockets, of which the following is a speci- 'fication.

, -T he ob'ect .of ugly invention is to construct an moan escent ectric lamp socket or the like appliance with an eflicient key or switch mechanism which will give a double break, breaking-both sides of the circuit simultaneously with large breaking capacity, and with the key spindle itself maintained at all times in. a position at right angles to the axis of the socket and never included in the circuit, andv the screw shell and. center contact both being free from current when the circuit is broken.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1-1, Fig. 5, my improvements, the inclosing shell an cap being omitted for the sake of simplicity; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with the key turned to the off position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3, Fig. 5; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the socket with the upper insulating block removed; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of apart; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification; Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview of another detail; Fi 9 is .a sectional view of a modified form or socket. i

I have shown my invention as embodied in a socket in which. the insulating body is made in two parts, A being the upper block and B being the lower block, which carries the lamp-receiving terminals, consisting in this case of the screw'shell S and center contact C. The two blocks A and B may be conveniently secured together mechanically by means of screws and binding posts, D and D located in chambers on opposite sides of the insulating body, these chambers being formed by recesses in the juxtaposed faces of the two blocks A and B, Fig. i, in the manner described the Perkins patent 626,927. In this case, however, neither binding post D, D is in direct electrical connection with either of the lamp-receiving terminals. In connection with each of these posts D, D is a substantially horizontal sprin contact finger E, E in a horizontal cham r e (e in the lower block, these chambers being continuationsof the charmbers containing the posts D and D respectively, and extending in opposite directions and near the opposite sides of the block, Fig. 5. Each spring finger E (E) has its inner end a: bent inwardly and clamped under the lower foot of the post D (D), as shown in Fig. 8, so that the spring finger lies over this foot of the post and so allows the greatest possible length for the spring finger. which is itself of the curved form shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Under the free ends of these two spring fingers E, E are contact plates F, F in the inner ends of the respective chambers e, e. The plate F is mechanically and electrically connected to the screw-shell S by the screw f, while the plate F is mechanically and electrically connected to the center contact C by the screw f Fig. 3. Normally the fingers E, E are held out of contact with their respective plates F, F by the elasticity of the fingers, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and both sides of the circuit to the lamp are then broken or open. To close the circuit I provide a cross-bar in the form of an insulated plate K, which extends across from one chamber 6 into the other 6 and has its ends lying over the springfingers E and E Figs. 1, 2 and 5. This plate isguided and free to have a vertical movement upon a frame J, secured to the lower block B, in the center of the insulating body. A spiral spring h on the under side of the plate K tends to press the latterupward against the cam M, Figs. 2, i5 and 4. which is guided in the frame J and is mounted with, the usual lost motion upon key spindle P. This latter. is mounted in bearings inthe frame J and is provided with a suitable handle p, as usual.

The cross bar K may be varlously constructed, but I prefer the form shown. in Figs. 1 to 6, consisting of a metal late is with a lower facing of vulcanized her or other suitable insulating material to bear upon the contact springs E, E

In Fig. 7, I have shown the cross bar as in the form of a plate with insulated buttons at the ends. The construction may be modified in other ways provided suitable insulation is interposed to prevent a short circuit across tion with the plates F and F to close the circuit, as shown in Fig. 1, by the actuation of they cam M on rotating the key spindle.

On a further movement of the key spindle,

the cam M will be thrown to the position Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and the circuit broken at both '13 and F on both sides of the lamp by the upspringing of the spring fingers E and E. In Fig. 9, I'have illustrated in vertical section a modification in which the two horizontal apring contact fingers E and E are actuate directly each by its own insulated cam N (N mounted with suitable lost motion upon the key spindle P and with this construction the cross bar K may be dispensed with.

With the constructions described, it will'be seen that not only is there thus provided a double break but owing to the length of the fingers E and E in the long chambers e and 6 Fig. 5, in the opposite sides of the insulating body a large breaking capacity is se-. cured by this distance to which the said fingers can be made to separate from the plates F and F The key spindle is dead; that is, free from current at all times, and both the lamp-receiving terminals C and S are free from current when the key is turned to the oif position.

I claim as my invention 1. A key socket having an insulating body provided with lamp-receiving terminals and wire terminals, horizontal curved chambers in the body near the opposite sides thereof, stationary contacts in the chambers and substantially horizontal spring contact fingers also in the latter to make connection with said stationary contacts and means to press the two spring contacts into connection with the respective stationary contacts.

2. A key socket having an insulating body provided with lamp-receiving terminals, and with binding posts in recesses at opposite sides, two chambers in the body extending in oppositedirections from the respective, re-

. cemcs, stationary contacts in connection with the said terminals and two spring contact fingers extending from said binding posts provided with lamp-receiving terminals and other.

into said chambers and means to press said 60 contact fingers to close the circuit between the binding posts and the respective lamp terminals.

3. A key socket having an insulatingbody with binding posts,-chambers in the body, stationary contacts in connection with said terminals-and two substantially horizontal spring contact fingers having their inner ends bent inwardly and clamped under the respective posts and means to act on the contact fingers to make or break the circuit at their free ends. j

i. A key socket having an insulating body provided with lamp-receiving terminals and wire terminals,- chambers in the body, stationary contacts in the chambers and substantially horizontal spring contact fingers to make connection with said stationary contacts and a key spindle and cam means to press the two spring contacts into connection with the respective stationary contacts.

5. A key socket having an insulating body provided with lamp-receiving terminals and wire terminals, stationary contacts and, spring contact fingers to make connection with the latter a cross bar to act on'the con" tact fingers, a key spindle and cam means, to act on the cross bar and insulation to prevent short circuit from one finger to the 6. A key sockethaving an insulating body provided with lamp-receiving terminals and wire terminals, stationary contacts and spring contact fingers to make .connection with the latter, a cross bar in the form of a plate with insulation to'act on both fingerjs,

a key spindle and cam means to act on the plate a frame and a spiral spring to act on the plate, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GILBERT w. GOODRIDGE.

Witnesses:

A. J Warnanoosn, ii. W. GOLDSBOROUGH.' 

